Box



May 19, 1936. H. w. RUEGER 2,041,024

BOX

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. l5, 1935 May 19, 1936. H. w. RUEGER2,041,024

v BOX Filed Sept. l5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 19, 1936 UNITEDSTATESy PATENT OFFICE 2,041,021z Box Herman W. Rueger, Lancaster, Pa.,assignor to vLiberty Can and Sign Company, Lancaster,

Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 13, 1935,Serial No. 40,501 11 Claims. (Cl. 221-62) This invention relates to,dispensing or shaker or plate moved to span the discharge opening ordredger boxes or cans or receptacles. with the perforated or sifterportion of said plate;

In boxes or cans of this general type it has been Figure 4, a top planview thereof with the slide 4usual to provide a sliding or swingingplate to or plate moved to extreme closed position;

cover or uncover the dispensing or discharge Figure 5, a sectional viewon line 5-5 of Fig. 3, 5 opening, as well shown for instance in suchpat- 100kng in the direction 0f the arrOWS;

ents as Betts, No. 697,436, April 15, 1902; Lagois, Figure 6, asectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 5, No. 1,144,213, June 22, 1915;Monaco, No. looking in the direction of the arrows;

1,578,159, March 23, 1926; Klingstine, No. Figure 7, a fragmentarysectional view taken 1,524,140,January27,1925; and Bruns and Rueger, inthe same plane as Fig. 6 and greatly enlarged l0 No. 1,994,063, March12, 1935 and No. 2,011,394, or magnified to show the true relationshipbe- August 13, 1935. tween the parts;

The primary objects of the present invention Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11sectional views starting are to permanently associate such a slide witha with the flat blank or stock and showing the box member or can end insuch manner that said progressive steps in forming up the can end ormember with the slide mounted therein constireceptacle member ready tobe applied or seamed tutes a, unit, being applied and/or removed as a tothe end of the can body;

single unit; to so form and combine said slide Figure 12, a, perspectiveview of a pill or tablet and receptacle member that the slide will beresil-V dispensing box embodying my invention; l lent and will be heldunder compression td Figure 13, a top plan view of said dispensingresiliently press against the opposing face of said box, closed;

member to make a tight substantially sift-proof Figure 14, a Viewsimilar to Fig. 13, open;

-contact thereagainst when the slide is in closed Figure 15, aperspective view of the body or position; to mount the slide in theinterior of said bottom or lower member of the box; member to beprotected and shielded thereby; Figure 16, a sectional view on the linelli- I6 25 and to provide a construction wherein the slide of Figure 13,looking in the direction of the arwill be pressed tightly against theopposing face rows; and

of the member irrespective of the relation of the Figure 17, a sectionalview on the line Il--IT latter to the body of the box or can. of Figure16, looking in the direction of the ar- Other objects are to provide asimple yieldrows. ing means for holding the slide in a selected posi-Referring now in detail to the drawings, A destion; to provide in adredger can such a slide or ignates the body of the dredger or shakercan; cover plate mounted in a breast in the can end B, the top end ormember thereof seamed over entirely independent of any special form ofthe the top end of the body A as at D for permanent can end seams andspaced from and entirely inconnection therewith; C, the lower end ormemdependent of the normal side or end faces of the bei' inserted in thelower end of the body A and can or dredger; and in general to provide asimhaving an edge flange C' adapted to be similarly ple, efficient andcheap construction particularly spun or seamed over after the body A hasbeen lending itself to large quantity production by aufilled topermanently connect the lower end or tomatic machinery. In thisapplication I show member C to the body A; and E, the usual body 40 anddescribe only the present preferred embodiseam. ment of my inventionsimply by way of illustra- Preferably the top B will be permanentlycontion of my invention as by' law required. Hownected to the body A andthe bottom or member ever, I am not unmindfulof the fact that my in- Cwill be loosely and removably inserted in the vention is capable ofother and different embodibottom of the body A or simply sent alongwith, ments and that the several details thereof may but entirelydisconnected from, the body A to the be modified in various ways and,therefore, the customer, such as a spice packer or dealer, whodescription herein and the accompanying drawwill then lill the cans,apply the bottoms or memings are to be considered as merely illustrativebers C thereto and then spin or seam over the and not as exclusive.flanges C' thereof by a suitable tool, machine or 50 In the accompanyingdrawings: device such as commonly used in the art for this Figure 1represents a perspective view of a. purpose to permanently connect thebottoms or dredger can embodying my invention; members C by a seamcorresponding to the Figure 2, a top plan view thereof, open; seam D.

Figure 3, a. top plan view thereof with the slide The subject matter ofthetwo immediately foregoing paragraphs is old and well known in the artand simply briefly mentioned by way of promoting better understanding ofthe invention which in this embodiment resides in the specialconstruction of the top B and its several elements in combination.

The top or member B comprises a preferably integral upwardly pressedbreast having a top I, preferably parallel sides 2 and preferablyparallel ends 3, all parts of said top B including all parts of saidbreast with its top I, sides 2 and ends 3 preferably being integral andpreferably being of resilient thin sheet metal.

The top I will preferably not extend above the plane of the top of theseam D, but preferably its top face will lie flush with or below saidplane.

Said top I of said breast is formed with a preferably long transversenarrow discharge opening 'I near to, but spaced from, one end 3 andextending nearly from one side 2 to the other side 2, and with alengthwise extending substantially centrally disposed slot I5 toslidably receive the operating or push lug or button I4 of the dischargecontrol slide or plate or element 5, said opening 'l and the adjacentend of the slot I5 being separated by a resilient strap or band portionI3 'carrying a downwardly depressed point or lug II which, by theresiliency of said band I3 may be yieldingly forced upward by engagementwith the cooperating concave face of one of the downwardly depressedsockets I Il and I2 of the slide or plate 5 lto have rubbing contactwith the top of the member 5 as the same is slid lengthof the breast andwill selectively snap into one of said sockets Ill, I2 according to theposition of said slide or plate 5 when brought to rest to yieldinglyretain said slide or plate 5 in such position;

The sides 2 of said breast are formed with preferably continuouspreferably indented or inwardly bent or inwardly struck preferablyrelatively sharp or abrupt longitudinal ribs 4 having faces opposed to,and preferably equidistant from, the opposed lower face of the top I ofthe breast, the slide or plate 5 having short resilient side flanges 6normally under compression engaging the upper portions of said ribs 4and acting to force the upper face of said slideor plate 5 forpreferably substantially its full area into tight slidingcontact withthe opposed lower face of the breast top I.

Preferably the top face of the slide or` plate 5 will be of slightlyless width than the lower face of said breast top I, so as to leave aslight clear-A ance between the upper portions of the outer faces of theflanges 8 and the corresponding portions of the sides 2, and saidflanges 6 will flare downwardly away from each other at obtuse angleswith relation to the lower face of the slide or plate 5, the degree ofsuch flare or obtuse angle prior to the insertion of the slide or plate5 in said breast being greater than that illustrated in Figure 7,wherein the anges Ii are loaded or y under a degree of compression.

The top B may be fabricated and assembled in any suitable orv preferredmanner according to any suitable or preferred method.

One method found suitable is to start with a ,flat stock blank of sheetmetal such as illustrated in Figure 8 and, as a first step, form theraised breast therein, as illustrated in Fig. 9, during this operationof course forming the discharge opening 'I and the slot I5 anddownwardly indentng or depressing the point or lug I I. Next, the ribsor tracks 4 are indented or struck inward from ward movement of theslide or plate -5 to such or tracks 4, the body of the plate or slide las a and when the slide or4 plate is moved to its the sides-.2,v asillustrated in Fig. 10, and tbereafter the stock will be bent or stampedupwardly in spaced relation to the breast as shown in Fig. 11, when thetop or member B will be ready to receive the plate or slide 5, and readyfor'seaming in the top of body A. The slide or plate I may be applied tothe top B at any timeaafter the ribs or tracks 4 have been formed, asillustrated in Figure l0, but will preferably be inserted after thestamping operations on the top ormember B have been completed, asillustrated in Figure 11, and in fact its insertion may be postponed ifdesired for any reason until after the top or member B shall have beenpermanently seemed or otherwise secured to the body A and before saidbody is filled with the goods it is to contain.

Preferably the ribs or tracks 4 extend for nearly the full length of thesides 2, and the, slide 5, and its flanges 6, preferably are of suchlength that once inserted the slide or plate lcannot be separated ordisplaced from position in the interior of said breast by movement inthe direction of its length, the inner faces of the ends 3 definitelylimiting the endwise movement of said slide or plate 5 and preferablypreventing such a degree of lengthwise movement as would permit suchseparation, the engagement between the edges of the flanges 5 and thetracks or ribs 4 preventing any downward or Indegree as would permit itsdisplacement to inoperative position and the breast top I serving toprevent its upward movement to inoperative 'position.

In order to insert the slide or plate v5 in the upper faces oi' theinterior of the raised breast of top or 'member B it suflices simply toloosely place or position the plate or slide 5 1n the lower end ofthebreast and then press on it, shoving it upward past the ribs whole,and its flanges 5, bending or being compressed between the opposed facesof the ribsor tracks 4 and then springing back or above the ribs ortracks 4, the body of the plate or slide 5 then spreading and lyingslibitantilly' I at against the opposed face of the breast top .l andthe flanges 6 being connned andfheld under compression by the upperportions of tlie sides 2 ln cooperation with the upper faces of theribs' or tracks 4 and serving to press the body of the plate or slide 5for preferably substantially its full into firm sliding sift proofcontact with the opposed lower face of said breast top I.

` I'he slide or plate 5 in the embodiment illu,v ltrated in the firsteleven views y l end portion adjacent the discharge formed with aplurality of sifter openings or pere,- forations 8 arranged in atransverse band-cor responding in widthl to the width of said rdischargeopening 'I and of less width than the '00' strap I3 and is so positionedand of such length that when moved to its extreme position to the left,wherein the lug or catch IIv is seated vin socket or recess I2, thedischarge opening l will.I

be covered and dosed by the sona unperrqrated alsv portion of the plateor slide 5 immediately right of the band of perforations l; when plateor slide 5 is moved to intermediate post* non with the catch seated insocket or I0 the band of perforations Il will be in registry with thedischarge opening 'I as shown in FIg.- 3,',A

ik 0WD' treme position to the right the discharge ing 1 will be leftentirely unobstructed, as shown in Fig. 2, the extreme'left end of theplate orv75 has its extremev .55

fio

slide lying flush or substantially flush with the right lside or wallofsaid opening 1 and the perfoi-ations 3 being covered by the band I3.

,In the vembodiment illustrated in Figures 12 to 17 ,inclusive theconstruction and operation are the same as that above described withrelation to Figures l to 11 inclusive, except that in Figures l2 to 17the invention is employed in connection with a pill or tablet or thelike dispensing box instead of a dredger or shaker can, and the raisedbreast is now found in the form of a box top of member I' havingpreferably substantially parallel sides 2 and preferably substantiallyparallel ends 3 the material of the top or member I' being cut out toform a preferably circular dispensing opening 1' and a slot `I4, theclosure or discharge control plate or slide bearing with its upper faceagainst the lower face of box member I' and having side flanges 6 heldunder compression by the sides 2 and in engagement with the upperportions of ribs or tracks 4 indented, or struck inwardly, in the sides2.

Said box top or member I is formed with an indented lug or latch orcatch Ii to snap into a circular hole or socket I2' in the extremeiiexible left end portion of the plate or slide 5U, and the plurality ofsockets Ill, I2 of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 11 are omittedsince not needed ordesirable, there being no intermediate position inthe embodiment shown in Figures 12 to 17.

The association, construction and operation of the plate or slide 50with the box top or member I' and its sides 2 with their ribs or tracks4 and its ends 3- are the same as the construction, association andoperation of the plate or slide 5 with the breast top I, breast `sides 2with their ribs or'tiacks 4, and breast ends 3 of the embodimentillustrated in Figures 1 to 11. v

The lower or bottom box section or member or body A' is formed with ends3' and sides 2 downwardly curved or cut out between the ends 3' as vat2a to lie below and accommodate the ribs or tracks 4 in the sides 2 ofthe top member I as well illustrated in Figures 16 and 17.

When the slide or plate 50 has been inserted in the box o'r receptaclemember I' it is insepa- 5 4 rable therefrom and when the bottom memberA' has' been filled with tablets the members I' and A' 'are pressedtogether with a preferably very tight frictional engagement, or the ends3 and/or sides 2 of member I may even be bent over or clinched about oragainst the bottom or about curved marginal face where the sides 2' vandends 3' merge with the bottom or lower face of the member A', thecontents of the box being dispensed as wanted through the opening 'I'.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 12 to 17 the ribs or tracks 4are of less length relative to the length of the sides 2 of the memberI' than are the ribs or tracks 4 relative to the sides 2 of the breastof the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 11, but the plate 50extends beyond the ends of the flanges 6 in the embodiment illustratedin Figures 12 to 1'7 to a greater length than ds the plate 5 withrelation to the flanges i of the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to11, so that the net result of preventing separation by endwise movementdue to the engagement of the end of the plate or slide with one of theends 3 is the same in each instance.

While two embodiments in different types of boxes or receptacles areillustrated, neither can be said to be the preferred form, and in factthe construction and operation and assembly of the invention isidentical or substantially identical in each, but simply the backgroundor elements with which the invention is used are varied to suit therequirements of the different commodities to be packaged.

I claim:

1. A dredger can comprising a top end member having a raised breastformed with sides and ends and spaced from 4the marginal portions ofsaid member, the edge portion of said member extending upward to atleast the plane of the upper face of the top of. said breast, the breasttop being formed with a .discharge opening and with a slot, and thesides of said breast being substantially parallel, and ribs indented inthe sides respectively substantially equidistant from the lower face ofthe breast top and extending for the greater portion of the length ofsaid sides, in combination with a resilient sheet metal plate formedwithan upwardly pressed lug extending through said slot as an operatinglinger-piece and having outwardly flaring depending side flangesslidably engaging the inner upper portions of said ribs and held undercompression by said breast sides,vsaid anges holding said plate in theinterior of said breast against separation therefrom and forcing saidplate against said breast top for substantially its full area with asliding substantially sift proof contact.'

2. A dredger can comprising a top end member having a raised breastforme-d with sides and ends and spaced from the marginal portions ofsaid member, the breast top being formed with a `dissides, incombination with a plate having resilient.

outwardly flaring depending side flanges slidably engaging the innerupper portions of said ribs and held under compression by said breastsides, said flanges holding said plate in the interior of said breastagainst separation therefrom and forcing said plate against said breasttop.

3. A dredger can comprising a top end member having a raised breastformed with sides and ends, the breast top being formed with a dischargeopening, and ribs indented in the sides respectively, in combinationwith a plate having resilient outwardly ilaring depending side flangesslidably engaging the inner upper portions of said ribs, said flangesholding said slide in the interior of said breast against separationtherefrom and forcing said plate against said breast top with a slidingcontact.

4. A dredger can comprising an end member having a raised breast formedwith sides and ends, the breast top being formed with a dischargeopening, and ribs indented in the sides respectively, in combinationwith a resilient metal plate disposed between said ribs and the opposedlower face'of said breast top and having outwardly aring depending sideflanges slidably engaging the inner upper portions of said ribs, saidflanges holding said plate in the interior of said breast againstseparation therefrom.

5. A receptacle member comprising a top wall, connected side and endwalls depending therefrom, said top wall being formed with a dischargeopening and with a slot, and ribs indented in the side wallsrespectively substantially equidistant from the lower face of said topwall andl extending for the greater portion of the length of said sidewalls, in combination with a resilient sheet metal plate disposedbetween said ribs and the lower face of said top wall and slidable toselectively cover or uncover said discharge opening, said plate beingformed with an upwardly disposed lug extending through said slot as anoperative finger-piece and having outwardly ilaring depending sideflanges slidably engaging the inner upper portions of said ribs and heldunder compression by said sides, said flanges holding said plate in theinterior of said member against separation therefrom and forcing saidplate against said top wall with a sliding contact.

6. A receptacle member comprising atop wall, connected side and endwalls depending therefrom, said top wall being formed with a dischargeopening, and ribs indented in the side walls respectively substantiallyequidistant from the lower face of said tcp wall and extending for thegreater portion of the length of said side walls, in combination with aresilient' sheet metal plate slidably disposed between the said ribs andthe opposed lower face of said top wall to selectively cover or uncoversaid opening, said plate having outwardly flaring depending side flangesslidably engaging the inner upper portions of said ribs and held undercompression by said sides, said flanges holding said plate in theinterior of said member against 'separation therefrom and forcing saidplate against said top wall with a sliding contact.

7. A receptacle member comprising a top wall. side walls dependingtherefrom, said top wall be- 4ing formed with a discharge opening, andribs extending inward from the side walls respectively, in combinationwith a plate slidably disposed between said ribs and the opposed loweri'ace of said top wall to selectively cover or uncover said dischargeopening, said plate having resilient outwardly flaring depending sideflanges slidably engaging the inner upper portionsl of said ribs, saidflanges holding said plate in the interior of said member againstseparation therefrom and forcing said plate against said top wall with asliding contact.

8. A receptacle member comprising a top wall, side walls dependingtherefrom, said top wall being formed with a discharge opening, and ribsextending inward from the side walls respectively, in combination with aresilient plate slidably disposed between said ribs and the opposedlower face of said top wall to selectively cover or uncoverv saidopening, said plate having depending side flanges slidably engaging theinner upper portions of said ribs and being resiliently pressedthereagainst by said said plate in the interior oi said member againstseparation therefrom.

9. A receptacle member comprising a top wall, side walls dependingtherefrom, said top wall being formed with a discharge opening, tracksrespectively carried by the side walls interiorly of said member andhaving upwardly and inwardly presented faces, in combination with aplate slidably disposed between said tracks and the opposed lower faceof said top wall to selectively cover or uncover said opening, saidplate having outwardly flaring'depending side flanges slidably engagingsaid faces of said tracks respectively and held under compression bysaid sides, said flanges holding said plate in the interior of saidmember against separation therefrom.

10. A receptacle member of resilient material formed with a dischargeopening and a slot in close adjacency thereto and spaced therefrom by astrap-form resilient integral portion free to flex to a greater extentthan the remainder of said member, in combination with a slide held insliding contact with the lower face of said member to control thedischarge through said opening. said slide being formed with an upwardlyprojecting part extending through said slot as an operativefinger-piece, and said strap and slide being formed with cooperative lugand socket means for yielding'ly frictionally holding said slide in aselected position, said strap yielding in a direction perpendicular tothe plane of movement of said slide on the engagement of opposed facesof said lug and socket means as the slide is shifted endwise to permitsuch movement of the slide. Y

A1l. A receptacle member of resilient material formed with a dischargeopening and a slot in adjacency thereto and spaced therefrom by astrap-form resilient integral portion free to flex to a greater extentthan the remainder of said member, in combination with a slide held insliding contact with the lower face of said member to control thedischarge through said opening, said strap and slide being formed withcooperative lug and socket means for yieldingly frictionally holdingsaid slide in a selected position.

HERMAN W. RUEGER.

plate, said flanges holding

